Iowa Race Back on Saturday Night in 2019

The "Fastest Short Track on the Planet" will host INDYCAR on Saturday, July 20, 2019. | Photo: Andy Clary / Spacesuit Media

After three years in a Sunday afternoon slot, the Verizon IndyCar Series’ 2019 visit to Iowa Speedway will take place on Saturday while also bringing back the thrill of night racing.

The 2015 edition of the Iowa Corn 300 marks the most recent night race at the 0.894-mile short oval, which IndyCar has visited 12 total times since 2007. The series also raced under the lights in Newton, Iowa in 2011, 2012 and 2014.

James Hinchcliffe won at Iowa as INDYCAR’s universal aero kit debuted at the track July 8. The 2019 race will take place two weeks further into the month on Saturday, July 20.

After the high track temperature in the afternoon previously caused drivers and teams to struggle to find balance at Iowa, the cooler nighttime temperatures could produce closer racing next year. Furthermore, the 2019 Iowa race will afford fans an extra day to travel back home from the track’s rural location given its move to Saturday.

“INDYCAR races here are not only thrilling sports entertainment, but also a boon for the local economy,” Iowa Speedway President David Hyatt said. “Our track provides some of the best racing you’ll see anywhere, which will be good for attendance. This is one of our crown jewels and a can’t-miss weekend.”

The two-week date shift places Iowa after IndyCar’s visit to Toronto, the race that previously followed Iowa on the calendar by one week. Should the Honda Indy Toronto retain its date for 2019, it will be held on the weekend preceding Iowa.

As editor-in-chief, Aaron brings a developing design and editorial vision to The Apex every day and co-hosts The Braking Point podcast every week. Aaron prides himself in applying counterintuitive approaches in tandem with an unrelenting care for quality.